Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 6:11

11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in; I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

Heb. And, which seems to be a better connexion, for that, which putteth him upon this work, seems rather to be that spirit of Prophecy, that is in him, than any consideration drawn from them.

I am, as it were, filled with the fire of Gods Wrath, and Curses against this people, which I am forced to discharge my self of, a Metonymy of the Subject. See Ezek. 3.3. chap. 4.19. he doth not only complain of their stupidity, as in the former verse, but stirs up his indignation against them.

But he can contain himself no longer, which implies his great unwillingness to denounce these Curses, q. d. the wrath of God by the impulse of his spirit acting so violently with mine, that it will break out; see the like Iob 32.18, 19. whereby it appears, the Prophet, is not carried on by his own private Spirit, but by the Spirit of God, he hath no delight in it, but is forced to be the messenger himself of his wrath; therefore if he be sharp against them, they must not impute it to him, but to the Spirit of God, that constrains him thus to speak.

Viz. in prophesying, noting the great plenty of it, a metaphor from violent Rains, that we say do pour down upon the Earth, chap. 7.20. Rev. 16.1.

The streets being the places, where usually little children are wont to sport themselves, Zech. 8.5. the same word used, Psal. 8.3.

Their secret Meetings, whether in Harlots Houses, chap. 5.7. or for mirth and jollity, or to joyn either their strength or counsel together, which children are not capable of, for the Hebrews do not onely call them youths, that are past their childhood, possibly at 15, or 16 years of age, but men of 20 or 30, grown to their full strength and maturity in the flower of their years, yet it shall advantage them nothing.

Heb. Man with woman, the Wife shall be taken as well, as the Husband, one Sex as well, as the other, shall be a prey to the Enemy.

Not only men, that may be termed old, as they may be from 50 to 80 which are then said to be waxing old, but such as had upon the point filled up the number of their days, at the edge of the grave, Isa. 65.20. called very aged, as Barzillai, 2 Sam. 19, 32, 34, 35. The sense is, that all sorts, from the children to the decrepit old man, had so corrupted their wayes see ver. 13. that their condition was desperate, and God would bring an enemy upon them, should spare, or pity none of what Sex or Age soever.